


Wicked

by S_EER (Fritiriel)



Series: The Golden Queen [2]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M, PWP, The Golden Queen series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-28
Updated: 2007-07-28
Packaged: 2017-10-07 03:36:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fritiriel/pseuds/S_EER
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between the Laying and the Hatching comes the Search</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wicked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Annwyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annwyn/gifts).



_You are leaving me?_

For a little while only. I go on Search with Sea'n and Sammath. We must ensure the very best for your clutch!

You _should not do that._

Frideth's flat pronouncement could only deepen Elijah's feeling of guilt. He knew - none better - that for a queen-rider to Search her dragon's eggs went against all custom or precedent. But _he_ was different. And it wasn't that he didn't trust his mate's judgment - he did, of course. He trusted to Sea'n's quiet pride in Sammath, too – in his ability, rare amongst bronzes, to discover prime candidates in unlikely holds. It was— it was just that he remembered Frideth's hatching… Warmth suffused his mind and for a few moments all else was set aside, unimportant as he shared with his queen the incredible joy in finding each other.

But he remembered also that before she chose him, Frideth had rejected every candidate who stood on the Sands - every female in the Hatching Ground that day. He relived her anguished cries, and knew again the same cold dread that swept through all those present at thought of what would happen should she not Impress; what _must_ have happened, had not chance – in the shape of blue-rider M'chen - brought him to Telgar. He shivered.

_I needed _you,_ Elijah. I did not need the girls they found for me. I did not need any female at all. And you _were_ here. _Her surety was comfort enough, and he wrapped his queen in thankfulness and love.

He had asked her before this - as soon after Impression as he realized that her choice of him was unique in the history of Pern - why she needed a boy. She could give no reason, only that she loved him and that he was hers as she was his, now and always.

_But suppose that your hatchlings are just as particular as you? I should _not_ have been here that day - and I could not bear it if Sea'n and Sammath had to— _

It was Weyr custom that unhatched eggs must be disposed of _between_ by the bronze that sired them, and his rider; the same fate that awaited a hatchling who pined into death when she failed to Impress…

_They shall not. Our dragonets will be strong, and Impression will be quick and sure._

But only if the right people are Searched for them to make their choice, Elijah countered.

Frideth snorted. _Telgar dragons always find good candidates – such a thing has not happened here in many turns._ Her voice told her conviction in that, but then tendrils of a different anxiety crept from her mind to his.

_Sea'n will take care of me, you know he will_, Elijah quickly reassured her. _And Sammath would allow no-one to hurt me. I shall be so protected, it will be a wonder if I find anyone at all for your eggs!_ He realized then that his argument supported Frideth's position rather better than his own, and hastily added, _Surely _I_ should have a proper insight into the sort of person your daughter will need?_

He knew well enough that subtle pressure on this point would be more likely to persuade her to acquiescence, for Frideth's pride in the golden egg of her clutch had been evident from the first. There was talk in the Weyr of Searching boys specifically to present to this hatchling queen, but Elijah was intent only on finding a candidate who seemed _right_ to him. What mattered was that she - _or_ he - should somehow match the strength and charm and playfulness that flowed into his mind whenever he touched the smooth and softly golden surface.

_Perhaps_, she said. _Sammath will guard you - and with Sea'n you shall be safe amongst those others within the holds._ Her tone sounded _almost_ convinced of that.

Elijah grinned, knowing too that Sea'n's protective instinct would be at constant odds with his desire that his mate should not feel trammeled by him. He thought how very _Sea'n_ that was, and swallowed quickly against the shimmer of love that danced up within him, widening his smile even as it tightened at his throat.

_You are truly happy now._

Yes, Frideth – I am truly happy now. Sea'n makes me happy.

Go with him then, if you must. I shall be here.

Elijah laughed at her exaggerated mental sigh and bathed her in love and gratitude once more.

~~~~\~~~/~~~~

'It's deceitful!' Sea'n said again, as he collected up his riding gear.

'Yes, but in a good cause,' Elijah retorted. 'I won't get to see one half as much if I wear them - I can't very well wander casually around if the holder knows I'm _me_.'

'You have to _have_ knots,' Sea'n insisted, and blinked as Elijah triumphantly fluttered a modest handful of ribbon before his face – the black and white of Telgar twisted with healer purple.

'Meretin lent me some apprentice knots. He doesn't mind. In fact, he said I'll know at least as well as a real one what to do if a crisis _does_ happen while we're out there! Or perhaps…'

Sean suppressed a grin, watching eyes widen to an impossibly mischievous blue; waiting for whatever this new and probably equally illicit notion might be.

'_Perhaps_ I could pretend to have been Searched already! Candidates receive new knots when they arrive at the Weyr, and maybe I've just left my hold affiliation ones behind in the excitement of being chosen? Most of the out-lying holders don't know you by sight yet, or me at all, so they won't know we ride Frideth and Sammath. Oh, but…' the grin became irresistibly naughty, and Sea'n ceased even to try, as Elijah's lashes fluttered in teasing parody, 'they might think I'm too old to be a candidate… They might _even_ think that was just your excuse to sweep me up on your big strong dragon so you could have your wicked way with— _Mmphf!_'

Helmet, gloves and knots alike fell unheeded to the floor as Sea'n bore Elijah swiftly to their bed, buttons surrendering at once to a facility born of dedicated practice. He had decided that the _wicked way_ suggestion was infinitely better than the whole _no knots_ idea, and proceeded to demonstrate to his weyrmate exactly _how_ wicked his way might be if he set his mind to it.

Wicked fingers, stalking every sensitive place Sea'n knew Elijah's smooth body to possess, and more wickedly still, abandoning each just as Elijah had really begun to enjoy its different sensation. Wicked tongue that invaded his mouth, flickering lightly, delving deep, then thrusting in slow, deliberate mimicry until Elijah moaned aloud; trailing wetly then, in the fingers' wake, with wicked breath blown light and cool to inflame already responsive skin to shivers of new pleasure. Wicked mouth, suckling, nibbling, soothing, rousing - down and down until Elijah gasped and writhed and—

'Sea'n, _please_!'

—Sea'n swallowed him fast and eager and loving. He watched, heart in his eyes, as Elijah tensed and called his name and then subsided beneath soft kisses, into his arms.

'I'm still coming with you, you know,' Elijah said, when at last he could. 'And I'm _still_ not going to wear queen-rider knots!'

'I know,' Sea'n said, 'but it's such fun trying to head you off… as it were.'

Elijah giggled. 'Hmm… Perhaps I should head _you_ off, now?' He trailed a hand down Sea'n's chest, but Sea'n stopped him before he could reach the buttons of his trousers.

'Later! We have a Search to get underway here – unless you'd like Sammath to tell Litanith and the others not to wait for us because my weyrmate would rather keep me in bed?' Sea'n cocked his head with a grin.

'I doubt Pr'len would need the telling!' Elijah said, but his face fell as Sean tucked and rebuttoned him with loving fingers. 'I just wanted to make you feel as good as I do right now. To give back some of the love you show me.'

Sea'n buried his face in Elijah's hair and whispered, 'You just did – you always do. You did before it was even light—

_…darkness that softened toward morning… Elijah, warm and purposeful against him with a slow, delicious waking under vagrant fingers that quested surely over skin sleep-dampened and receptive… a capricious drifting of delight, as arousing to give as to receive, by the quickened echo to his stumbling breath… their rising taut and ever sharper to a sudden spill of mutual need that left them tangled, spent and drowsy once again……_

—and I am not as young as you. I shall last a while longer yet!'

'Very well.' Elijah pouted, blatantly, swiped a teasing hand across the front of Sea'n's trousers anyway, and rolled off the bed. He scooped up the small tangle of ribbon with his riding gear and ran for the ledge. By the time that Sea'n had collected himself and followed, he was already aboard Sammath, completely and safely buckled in place, and grinning happily down at his mate.

'What kept you?' he asked, blandly.

'Brat!'

'You love me, though!'

Sea'n slid into place behind Elijah and hugged him tightly to himself. 'Yes,' he said quietly, 'I love you, my Elijah.'

~~~~\~~~/~~~~


End file.
